Discover spirituality through art

Art in Buddhism

Art plays an integral role in Buddhism. It is also known for its therapeutic effects.

Drawing upon these principles, our Himalayan arts studio welcomes anyone interested in the arts to find peace, healing and relaxation through creative expression.

Tradition across centuries

We specialise in the design, creation, adornment and restoration of Buddhist images. Our full-time artists are well-versed in traditional Buddhist art forms, mastered through extensive training with the skilled artisans of Nepal and Tibet.

We also offer contemporary interpretations of ancient Buddhist art to suit current trends and styles.

Explore your creative side

Volunteering with us in the studio is a great opportunity to learn new skills, meet wonderful people, immerse in Tibetan culture and help create meaningful art pieces for spiritual growth.

Who is Saraswati?

Saraswati is the patron deity of the arts, music, literature, poetry and wisdom. She is depicted holding a vina, an ancient guitar-like instrument that symbolises the mind and intellect.

When His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche founded our art studio in 2007, he aptly named it Kechara Saraswati Arts, invoking her blessings to let artistry, beauty and spirituality blossom in complete harmony.

BEAUTIFY YOUR SPIRITUAL SPACE

Art Services

By tradition, Buddhist practitioners seek out artisans to create and adorn statues and thangkas, and request monks to fill and consecrate these sacred images. However, this is not practical for busy spiritual seekers and art lovers.

This is where we come in. Our complete suite of art services will complement any shrine, altar, offering and style. If you’d like some guidance on how to proceed, do contact us for a consultation.

Statue Painting

Since ancient times, Buddhists have offered gold onto Buddha images as a mark of respect and as an offering of precious substances. Statues and tsatsas are also painted in various colours as a meditation aid or simply to protect them from the elements.

Our comprehensive painting service is based on traditional Tibetan techniques and materials. We offer a choice of finishes, colours and mediums to suit your style and budget — antique wax, gold paint, full colour, 24k gold dust or gold leaf, or just delicate facial features. You can also mix and match different styles for the face and body to suit your needs. Your imagination is the only limit to transform your raw Buddha statue into a living masterpiece.

We also offer a cleaning and restoration service to bring your Buddha image back to its original glory.

Mantra Insertion

By tradition, Buddha statues are filled with a combination of holy items, rolled mantras, incense powder, and many other traditional substances. If done properly, this enhances the blessings and positive energy when prayers and offerings are performed.

Our mantra insertion service follows strict scriptural instructions. We offer a choice of simplified or extensive insertions.

You can also opt for a consecration and blessing ritual after your statue is filled and sealed.

Brocade Sewing

Silks and brocades have an important place in Buddhist art. They were considered to be rare and precious, and therefore suitable as an offering to the enlightened ones. Fine silks were also used to create highly prized appliqué thangkas, where not only the frame but the picture itself is constructed from silk.

Our sewing service includes:

Thangka frames using multi-coloured brocade
Traditional deity clothing such as the lama’s coat (korpen), upper garment (tule), lower garment (pangden), pandit’s hat (pensha) and head ornament (dapen) to adorn statues of any size
Soft furnishings for the shrine room such as brocade tablecloths, lama throne covers, cloth wraps (peri), temple decorations (lhari, gyaltsen, palden, shambu), and ritual silks.

We offer a choice of fabrics in various materials and colours to suit your style and budget.

Beadwork and Jewellery

Offerings are an important aspect of Buddhist spiritual practice. When applied in the context of an altar or shrine, offerings include the adornment of Buddha statues, wealth vases and ritual items with precious stones and ornate beadwork. It is an easy way to collect merits daily to advance in your spiritual practice.

Our beading service includes:

Embedding precious stones on statues and offering items
Traditional statue ornaments such as necklaces, bracelets and anklets
Pearl skirts for statues, wealth vases and butterlamps
Pearl lharis and curtains

Each piece is custom-made to order by hand.

Mala Stringing

Malas or Buddhist rosaries are used to keep count of the number of mantras recited. They can be made from various materials such as wood (sandalwood, agarwood), seeds (lotus seed, bodhi seed, rudraksha), crystals, bone or semi-precious stones. Different materials are believed to have different energies and benefits that affect the subconscious mind in unique ways.

As mala strings stretch or break after frequent use, we offer a mala stringing service to keep your rosary in tip-top shape.

You can also customise the design of your mala with our selection of blessed beads and decorative dividers.

Statue Making

Buddha’s familiar, serene image is instantly recognisable all around the world. However, few know that every Buddha has a unique appearance. They appear in specific forms, known as iconography, to help us in specific ways. When this iconography is reproduced accurately, the blessings of the resulting image is tremendous.

We design and create all types of Buddha images, from one-inch pendants and miniature tsatsas to 20-ft statues. These are distributed through our Dharma stores to bring Buddha’s blessings to as many people as possible.

We also accept commissions for custom statues made from resin, wood, brass, copper and bronze.

Thangka Painting

Thangkas are traditional scroll paintings featuring images of Buddhist deities or holy stories. They were originally used by nomadic Tibetans in place of heavy and cumbersome statues as they can be rolled up and transported with ease.

We accept commissions for custom thangka pieces. Our thangkas are painted by experienced Himalayan artists on cotton canvas using water soluble pigments.

We also offer regular or Giclée prints on high quality canvas from our extensive collection of original thangkas and modern Buddhist art.

Everything you need for your spiritual space + life.

Blessed items. Practice supplies. Art services and more.